Dispenser



-ufie 30, 1959 R. o. ABERcoMBlE DIsPENsER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 21, 1956 Raymond O. Abercrombie `INVENTOR.

DISPENSER Raymond '0. Abercrombie, Bernice, La.

'Application September 21, 1956, Serial No. 611,191

1 Claim. (Cl. 133-5) This nvention relates to a coin dispenser and more particularly to a dispenser adapted to be Operatively connected with a motor vehicle.

An object of the present nvention is to provide a dispenser capable of storing a reasonable supply Of coins for the convenience Of the motorist in paying the toll for parking Or for other purposes.

An object of the present nvention is to provide a coin dispenser Of the type which is Wired in the electrical system Of the motor vehicle requiring that the ignition switch be turned to the on position before the dispenser delivers coins, the dispenser having one or more magazines, each magazine being provided with a discharge opening nad there being a dispensing plate that has a coin pocket Oscillatable in registry With the discharge openings of the magazines, whereby to extract coins from the magazines and deliver them into the hand of the motorist.

A further object of the present nvention is to provide a practical device of this type wherein the operation is easy it being necessary only to move an Operating member to which the dispensing plate is mechanically coupled so that upon movement of the Operating member the dispensing plate is correspondingly moved.

A further object of the nvention is to provide a coin dispenser of this type which is capable of being mounted beneath and behind the instrument panel of the motor vehicle or mounted in a more prominent position, for eX- iample on the front of the instrument panel.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a dispenser constructed in accordance with the nvention, the dispenser being on the instrument panel of a motor vehicle;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the dispenser of Fig. l showing it mounted behind the instrument panel and showing in dotted line an alternate way of directing the coin inlet tube that passes through or -that is in registry with an aperture in the instrument panel;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the dispenser in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the dispenser in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view in enlarged scale and taken approximately on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view taken approximately on the line 8-8 of Fg. 5.

In the accompanying drawings there is a coin dispenser 10 which is constructed in accordance with and to demonstrate the principles of the nvention. The coin dispenser is adapted to be connected to the wiring system 12 of the motor vehicle in such Way that when the igni- ICC 2. tion switch 14 is in the closed position that is in such position as to establish an electrical circuit which includes the ignition system of the motor vehicle, or when the ignition switch is turned to such position as to permit the accessories of the motor vehicle to become energized, the voltage is impressed on lines 16 and 18 in order to energize solenoid 20. The solenoid includes a plunger 22 held normally extended from the solenoid winding by means of gravity either with or without the aid of a spring. Plunger 22 functions as a locking pin as will be described subsequently.

Dispenser 10 consists of a casing 30 having an upper wall 31, a bottom wall 32 and a side wall 33. Although the casing is shown as being of cylindrical form, others may be adopted. Mounting bracket 34 is soldered or otherwise connected to the side wall 33 of casing 30 and is bolted or in some other way connected to instrument panel 36 of the motor vehicle. As shown in Figs. l and 2 the casing may be attached on the inside or the outside of the instrument panel this being within the prerogative of the owner. In a like manner the owner may desire to attach the casing in some other place in his motor vehicle.

A central divider 40 is attached to the inside surface of side wall 33 and is approximately parallel to the top and bottom walls 31 and 32 of the casing. This central divider helps to support the two magazine tubes 41 and 42, each being provided with a 'top wall 43 and 44 respectively that has a coin slot 45 and 46 respectively therein. The tube diameter is made such as to neatly accommodate certain denominations of coins, forlexample tube 41 accommodating dimes While tube 42 accommodates nickels. The tubes are of such length that the upper ends protrude through openings 49 and 50 in the top wall 31'while the lower open ends thereof are spaced slightly from the bottom wall 32, this spacing being approXimately the same as the thickness of circular dispensing plate 52 that is mounted for oscillation between the lower, discharge ends of tubes 41 and 42 and the upper surface of bottom 32 of the casing 52. These tubes pass through openings 53 and 54 that are formed in the divider plate 40 and which are in alignment with openings 49 and 50. This very rigidly and firrnly supports the magazine tubes 41 and 42.

The dispensing plate 70 has two coin holes 60 and 61 which cooperate with the upper surface of the bottom 32 of casing 33 in order to form coin pockets. The purpose of the coin pockets is to extract coins one at a time from either magazine tube 41 Or 42 depending on the denomination of coin that is desired. Inasmuch as the tubes 41 and 42 are spaced from each other about a vertical central axis of casing 30, the holes 60 and 61 are similarly spaced from each other. An Operating member 68 for the dispensing plate 52, is formed with a pointer end and is located beneath the bottom wall 32 of the casing. A center marking element 70 is attached to the bottom of the lower wall 32 of casing 30 and when the pointed end of the Operating member 68 is aligned with the indicating element 70, the user knows that the picket holes 60 and 61 are in alignment with the discharge ends of the magazine tubes 41 and 42. A single dispensing opening 74 is formed in the bottom wall 32 and preferably between the magazine tubes. Hence, by moving the Operating arm element 68 to the left or the right the motorist may dispense one coin Of either denomination by sliding it in its pocket tO a place where it empties therefrom through discharge opening 74 and into the waiting hand of the motorist. Note that the same hand which Operates the Operating element 68 is in proper position during such operation as to accept the coin that drops from the dispensing Opening 74.

Referring now to the looking device which includes Pat'nted yJune 30, 1959 a top wallV 81 together witha bottom. wall which is.

formed byv two strips 82 andV 83 parallel but slightly spaced from each other. Mounting bolt 84 passes through an opening 84' in the divider 40. and .has a nut on it so that the bracket 78V may be slightly adjusted in` the original manufacture should this be necessary. There are aligned openings 82', 83.' in the strips 82 and 83 respectively, these openings being aligned with openings 52', 53', 54' in the dispensing plate 52, bottom wall 32 and in operating member 68 respectively. The group of openings constitute a passage for the plunger 22 enabling the plunger to drop through the openings in .all of these parts and hold Vthe locking plate in a fixed position. Note that the Operating member 68 is also locked, simultaneously with the locking of the dispensing plate thereby to avoid or at least minimize the possibility of either inadvertent or unauthorized breaking the looking member 68 from the dispenser when trying to operate the dispenser Without the benefit of the ignition key for the motor vehicle.

In use the Operating member 68 is swung either to the left or to. the right after having turned the ignition key to either'the accessory or the ignition energization position depending, on how the dispenser is Wired with the automobile. By so moving the Operating member 68 the dispensing plate 52 is correspondingly moved thereby having the pockets therein which When at a rest position are normally located below the discharge ends of magazine tubes 41 and 42, moved to such position that the coin in either of the pockets is dropped through the discharge opening 74 and in the awaiting hand of the motorist.

In order to recharge the dispensing device when the coin supply is low or depleted, the coins are dropped through the coin slots 45 and 46 and directly into the magazine tubes. In installations where the dispenser is mounted in a concealed position (Fig. 2) extension tubes 90 or 91 for each coin slot 45 and 46 are connected with the coin slots and suitably to a part of the motor vehicle, as the dashboard or instrument panel 36.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the eXact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

In a motor vehicle electrical system, a coin dispensng attachment comprising a casnfg, a pair of Vertical magazines in said casing for coins of different szes and having bottom discharge ends, a vbottorn wall for said casing spaced below said discharge ends and having a coin discharge opening, a circular coin dispensing plate interspaced between said discharge ends of the magazines and said bottom Wall and having a pair of diametrically opposite holes therein for receving coins from said magazines, means rotatably mounting said plate on said bottom wall for oscillation about its axis to register said holes with said lower ends and selectively With saidv discharge opening alternatively forV discharge of coins in said holes through said discharge opening, an oscillatable manually operable arm below said bottom wall operatively connected to said plate to oscillate the same and having a pointed end, an indicator member on said bottom wall with which said pointed end of said arm registers When said arm is oscillated to register said holes with said ends, a gravity operated plunger in said casing lockably, releasably engaging said plate and arm when the pointed end of said arm registers With said indicator member, and electromagnetc means in said casing interposed in said system for releasing said plunger including a solenoid coil above and spaced from said plunger for attracting said plunger to release said plate and arm,

a divider in said casing, a bracket depending from said divider and suspending said coil, and vertically spaced parallel guide strips on said bracket vertically slidably suspending said plunger when lockably engaging saidV plate andarm.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 327,156 Ford Sept. 29, 1885 452,757 Lowrey May 19, 1891 508,101 Forbes Nov. 7, 1893 544,330 Walker Aug. 13, 1895 581,194 Buerdsell Apr. 20, 1897 1,919,667 Raymond July 25, 1933 2,587,809 Arnett Mar. 4, 1952 2,600,026 Schlabach June 10, 1952 2,624,351 Smith Jan. 6, 1953 2,639,824 Shannon et al. May 26, 1953 2,649,994 Lewis et al. Aug. 15, 1953 2,653,850 Vollten Sept. 29, 1953 2,735,580 Galin et al. Feb. 21, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,031 Great Britain of 1886 

